Folding box



Feb. 18, 1936.

FLL. ROE

FOLDING BOX Filed Sept. 4, 1954 2 Sheets -Sheet 1 fig/T .Zrz ufi if. lv Frank L. Hoe.

18, 1936. F. ROE 2,031,575

' FOLDING BOX Filed Sept. 4, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JUL/2272021 Fran/(1.1 77172.

Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Folding Box 00., Chicago,

! Illinois Ill., a corporation Application September 4, 1934, Serial No. 742,560

11 Claims.

My invention relates in general to display boxes, and in particular to a single-piece blank foldin box which serves both as a shipping container and an attractive display box.

In the display boxes in use at the present time there is a monotonous uniformity of structure such that the boxes themselves provide little in advertising value. Those boxes that are unique in any way are ordinarily so complex as to require a large amount of material and require considerable labor to provide a high cost article.

It is an object of my invention to provide "an improved display box which is unique and attractive in appearance.

A further object is to provide a sturdy, compact combination shipping container, display box, and dispenser.

One of the features of my invention is the provision of an angularly extending or inclined base with positive looking on the closing flap of the same for sturdiness and permanence in the box, as a whole, and particularly in the lower portion thereof.

It is also an object to provide a display box which will stand at an oblique angle on a counter, and'contact the counter over the entire surface of the base, yet, one which provides interior display space in a rectangular-or squared shape; and,

A still further object is to provide a sturdy, unique display box which may be cut from a single blank with a relatively small amount of waste material, and which may be quickly assembled with a low labor cost.

- Other objects and features of my invention will'be apparent from the following detailed description taken with the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the single blank form .for the complete display box.

- Fig. 2 is. a perspective view in elevation of the completely assembled box in display position.

Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the box.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the box along a vertical transverse plane.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the box folded to serve as a shipping container.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary portion of the box showing a modification of the locking tongue on the easel.

In practicing my invention, blank folding display box with a slanting base and an easel support for setting up the box to stand at an oblique angle but with said box I provide 'asingle formedto provide a squared interior display space for orderly packing of the merchandise to be displayed. I furthermore provide such a box adapted for folding for shipping purposes and having a positive lock on the base itself. 5

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates the single-piece blank which includes a front portion III, a back II, and an easel l2 for fastening to the back to support the box in an upright position after it is assembled. The easel 10 I2 comprises a base I3 whichis actually an extension of the back II and folds backwardly therefrom as shown in Fig. 4. An upright support It extends from the base "portion l3, with triangularly shaped wings l6 and I! on each side thereof, and a tab it extending outwardly therefrom.

ping container and incidentally a display box.

The boxes do not stand out on the counter or other place of display and lend practically nothing in advertising and display value tothe merchandise. In cooperation with the easel and other structure in my device a unique box is provided by means of a slanting lower edge l9 and 2| on sides 22 and 23 respectively of the box. The box is formed in the usual manner by folding' those portions enumerated above into a box shown completed in Fig. 2 and securing the same in position by gluing or otherwise securing the flap 24 inside the side portion 23. Flaps 26 and 21 on the sides fold inwardly, and a base closing flap 23 with a tongue 29 folds over said flaps to hold the latter in position and close the box. With the slanting lower edges is and 2| of the sides finally positioned as shown in Fig. 2, the base of the box contacts the shelf or counter over the entire surface, thus providing a maximum bearing surface with resulting steadiness when set up. To assure positive locking of the closed base, and increase the rigidity and sturdiness of the box, I provide a locking flap 3i integral with, and folding from, the back II. The lo'cking flap is cut out of the base l3 of the easel with inclined sides extending to a pair of folding ears 32 and 33 folding on the scored lines which may be inserted in a slot 31 in the closing flap 28. The slot 31 is as long as the body portion 34 of the flap, and as wide as twice the thickness of the paper stock from which the box is made. The body portion 34 is long enough so that the ears 3.2 and 33 will fold inwardly against the same in position to beinserted in the slot 31. The paper stock from which boxes of this general type are manufactured has a considerable amount of natural resiliency. After the folded ears 32 and 33 and body portion 34 have been inserted through the slot, the ears spring back to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to bear against the inside of the closing flap 28. This structure increases the rigidity of the base of the. box and locks the base in position so that it cannot possibly be unlocked except from the inside. It is understood of course that the box may be designed to utilize the locking flap at the top as well as at the bottom, making it impossible to open the box except from the inside.

The top of the box is closed by a closing flap 38 folding from the back I I. The flap includes an insertable tongue which is foldedand inserted in the box as shown in Fig. 4. Side flaps 4| and 42 folding from the-sides 22 and 23 respectively, are covered by the flap 3. in the usual manner.

As previously noted, display boxes of this type in use at the present time are ordinarily riothing more than the usual decorated box placed on edge on the display counter. In my invention, in ad dition to providing a slanting base and supporting easel as previously described, I provide a v display panel in the box itself to give a display window effect. To accomplish this and yet maintain a box for eiilcient packing, I have provided inner folding members for forming a squared interior in my slanting box. These members include a bottom merchandise support and a folding two-section top 43. The top 43 includes a main top portion 44 and a spacing flap 46 adapted to fold into the box as shown in Fig. 4 to space the top 44 away from the closing flap 3!. Where ordinarily the triangular shape in the bottom of the inclined box would makeit somewhat diflicult to efliciently pack the merchandise, by the use of the base 45 which rests at the rear of the base of the box and the top 43 spaced away from the top flap, and with both at right angles to the front and rear of the box, a squared interior is provided. .The cover configuration of the front opening 41 of the box as shown in display position in Fig. 2 is an example of the possibilities of obtaining an attractive merchandise display. The members 45 and 43' are cut out .of this aperture 41 as shown in Fig. 1. The squared interior and front opening 41 make it possible, also, to readily dispense the merchandise.

Further means for increasing the attractive! ness of the display are provided in the upstanding extension 48, integral with the front of the box. when using the box as a shipping container, the extension 48 ,is folded down as shown in Fig. 6, but when the box is set up in display position the natural resiliency of the cardboard from which the box is made causes it to snap up to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Any desired advertising or display matter may, of course, be printed on the extension 48.

As stated, Fig. 6 illustrates" the box folded to the "position to be used' as a shipping container. In this condition .the easel I2 is folded over the top of the box with thewings l6 and I1 outstretched to cover the aperture 41. As illustrated in this figure, the extension 48 folds down over the easel l2 and may be secured in place by a small gumnied paper strip 48 which may be easily removed when setting up the box to display posi-- tion.

The box is, of course, packed with the members 45 and 43 in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In setting up the box, the top 41 is simply turned over, the easel folded back to the position of Fig. 3, and the tongue! inserted in an aperture 5| in the back II. The wings l6 and I1 abut the back I I along one edge as shown in Fig. 3 to rigidly support the box, in cooperation with the base of the easel, in an -inclined position. With the wings folding in as illustrated, the grain of the paper in the easel proper and the grain in said wings extends in two different directions to give added strength to the support. In the commercial embodiment of the invention it has been found that am not limited thereby, but limit the invention only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a folding display box having a front, back, side walls, a top, and a base, means for displaying said box in an inclined position on a display counter or the like, said means including a slanting lower edge on each side wall with the base of said box lying in the plane of said slanting lower edges to extend at an angle other than a right angle with the front and rear of the box and adapted to engage said. display counter surface over the entire face of the base, and an easel support at the back of the box for maintaining the same in said inclined position, said easel including a base portion extending rearwardly at the lower back edge of the box, and an integral upright extension having a wing portion folding in an upright plane crossing the plane of the upright extension portion.

'2. An upright folding box including aback, a

front, and side walls with each of said side walls having a slanting lower edge, a flap folding inwardly fromeach of said slanting lower edges, and a closing flap at the bottom of'the box resting on the inwardly folded flaps to lie in the plane of the slanting lower edges and provide a slanting base for the box, and means for supporting said box in a upright inclined position,

said means including an easel having a base portion extending rearwardly at the lower back edge of the box, and an integral upright extension having a wing portion folding in an upright plane crossing the-plane of vthe upright extension por tion.

. 3. In a one piece folding display box having integral front, back, top and sides, a slanting base thereon whereby to position said box on a supporting surface at an upright inclined angle with said surface, and adapted to engage said a top therefor including a flap olding forwardly from the back having a tongue r insertion in said box, a bottom therefor including a flap folding rearwardlyfrom the front having a tongue for insertion in said box, an easel support folding from the back at the lower edge thereof, and extending rearwardly in a body portion to an upright portion for fastening to the back, and a wing portion at each side of the upright portion cooperating to support said box on a. display counter or the like.

' 5. In a folding box including a front, back, side walls and a base, means for supporting saidbox in an upright inclined position, said means comprising a one piece multi-portion easel support including a base portion folding rearwardly from the back of the box, an upright portion folding upwardly at a horizontal crease at the rear of the base portion adapted for supporting on the back of the box and a pair of wing portions folding inwardly from, the uprightportion of the easel support to engage said back and further line position for locking engagement on the inside of the box.

7. In a folding box having a closing flap at one end pivoted to the box along one edge of the flap and free at the other edge to fit into the box, a slot in said flap, and means for locking said flap in closed position, said means including a locking extension folding over the free edge of the flap, said locking extension having a pair of ears normally lying in a single plane on the end thereof adapted to fold inwardly to a length for insertion in the slot in the flap to-lie within the box I slot in said flap and means for locking said closing flap in closed position, said means including a locking extension folding over the free edge of the flap with said locking extension comprising a body portion wide at the folding edge and extending outwardly to a constricted neck, an elongated folding portion on said neck adapted to fold down to the width of said slot in the closing flap for insertion in said slot to lie within the box and snap outwardly to a length longer than said slot for locking engagement on the inside of the box.

9. In a folding display box having a front, back, top and sides, a slanting base thereon including a closing flap folding from the front of the box having a slot therein, an easel support at the back of the box for maintaining the same in an upright inclined position with said easel support having a base portion folding rearwardly from the lower edge of the back of the box, and a locking flap for i the base closing flap cut from said base portion of the easel support to fold forwardly over said closing flap and locking means on the end thereof for insertion in the slot to lock the flap.

front, back, top and sides, a slanting base thereon whereby to position said box on a supporting surface at an upright inclined angle, and an easel support for maintaining said box in the upright inclined position, said easel including a base portion extending rearwardly at the lower back edge of the box,' and an integral upright extension having a portion folding in an upright plane crossing the plane of the upright extension portion.

11. In a folding combination shipping and display box having a back, a base, a top and an apertured front face, a display plate extending upwardly from the front face of the box in the plane of said face, andan elongated integral extension from the edge of the back of the box serving as a combination easel support for the box and shipping cover, with said display plate adapted to fold downwardly, and said extension adapted to fold forwardly and upwardly over the front of the box in overlapping relation to serve as a cover for the entire front face inthe shipping a form of the box.

L, ROE. 

